Sheep-shearing machine.



No. 833,099. PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906. W. W. VIRTUE. SHEEP SHEARING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 14, 1905.

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No 833,099. PATENTED OCT. 9, 1906.

WQW VIRTUE.

SHEEP SHEARING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED AUG.14,1905.

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WILLIAM WRIGHT VIRTUE, OF SYDNEY, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA.

SHEEP-SHEARING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 9, 1906.

Application filed August 14, 1905. Serial No. 274,135.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WRIGHT VIR- TUE, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at Sydney, in the State of New South Wales, Commonwealth of Australia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sheep-Shearing Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the mountings for the vibrating lever in shearing-machines in which the said lever is fulcrumed at its rear end and tension is applied on its middle part by means of a segmental spherical rocker, which is pressed down by a tension-nut.

It is essential for satisfactory working that the rocker shall act upon the vibrating lever at every point of its stroke with equal steady pressure, so that the lever and cutterplate will move always exactly parallel to the combface and with equal pressure thereon.

According to my invention the tensionrocker is made to work in a cylindrical thimble, which is carried in a cylindrical tube secured, by means of lugs, into the machinecase. This cylindrical tube offers a solid support to the sides of the thimble and prevents loose working. The tension-nut is screwed internally and runs on a thread cut on the outer surface of the cylindrical tube, and it applies tension to the rocker-thimble, and thence on the rocker, either by pressing on the top of the said thimble or on lugs thereon which project through slots cut vertically through the cylindrical tube. lVhen the nut is made to apply pressure to the thimble through the lugs before mentioned, the nut proper is made separate from the thumbpiece. The latter is slotted to engage a feather or feathers on the nut proper and r0- tate it, while not itself rising or falling with the nut.

To provide a removable and a non-wearing support for the fulcrum-cup, the metal of the casing Where such support is situated is cut away to provide a bed. On this bed is fixed a clamp-plate adapted to hold the hardened fulcrum-cup firmly in position. The fulcrum cup is secured by fitting neatly within the jaws of the clamp,.which are closed on it by means of a screw. Similarly the fulcrum-pin, instead of being formed. on or riveted permanently into the rear end of the of vibration of the lever, showing the mode of mounting the cylindrical carrying-tube in the case. In these three figures that modification of the design is shown in which the top of the tension-nut acts directly upon the top end of the rocker-thimble. Fig. 4 represents a longitudinal section through the modified form of the machine in which the tension-cap is of the non-rising type, conveying its rotary motion through a feather to the tension-nut, which applies pressure to the thimble through lugs projecting from it through slots cut through the cylindrical supporting-tube; Fig. 5, a vertical section through the thumb-nut, tension-nut, cylindrical supporting-tube, and rocker-thimble assembled; Fig. 6, a top plan view of those parts Fig. 7, a vertical section through the cylindrical supporting-tube Fig. 8, a top plan of the same Fig. 9, a vertical section through tension-nut Fig. 10, a top plan of same; Fig. 11, a vertical section through rocker-thimble Fig. 12, a top plan ofsame; Fig. 13, afragment top plan view of rear end of vibrating lever, showing mode of securing the fulcrum-pin therein. Fig. 14 is a separate plan showing the clamp-plate for holding the fulcrum-cap. Figs. 5 to 12, inclusive, relate to the design of parts shown in Fig. 4. Figs. 13 and 14 illustrate a construction common to both modified constructions of the machine.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, 1 is the main part of the machine-casing; 2, the lid or upper part of same, which is fastened down by spring-catches or screws 43, tapped into the main part 1 3, the comb-plate; 4, the cutterplate; 5, the shaft; 6, the rotating counterbalance-disk on the end of the shaft 5; 7, the overhung pin; 8, square-faced slide-block fitting the pin 7; 9, the vibrating lever between whose jaws 10 the slide-block 8 works 10*, the center finger of the lever; 1 1, the forked ends spectively.

ble is formed with side lugs 16, by which it is screwed down to seatings 17, formed. in the main part 1 of the casing. This carrier 14 is screwed externally to take the tapped throat of the tension nut, whose end 18 takes against the end 19 of the thimble 15. A

- hardened step-plate 20 is fitted into the thimble 15 to take the work of the head of the rocker 12. The tension-nut is formed with a milled edge 21 to give a thumb-grip, and a snap-spring 22 is provided to engage the under edge of this milling to prevent accidental rotation of the nut in work. It will be observed that the thimble 15 is well supported sidewise in a true cylindrical tube-bearing formed by the part 14, by which it is protected from vibration, while it remains free to slide vertically. The screw-thread on the cylindrical tube-bearing is not subjected to vibration incident to the movements of the lever 9 and is required only to take the vibrationless upward pressure of the tension-nut.

In operation the grip of the spring 22 is released to free the milled crown 21 of the ten-.

sion-nut, and the nut is then rotated by the handof the operator to increase or diminish pressure on the thimble 15, and thence on the rocker, whereby the tension of the cutter 4 ,on the=comb 3 is increased or diminished re- Ref'erring to Figs. 4 to 12, the cylindrical 3 carrier 23 is slotted at 24, but is otherwise identical in construction with the correspondpart marked 14 in previous figures. Similarly, the thimble 25 is formed with lugs 26, which work as feathers therein and project outward sufliciently to take under the lower edge of the tension-nut 27. The ten- Sion-nut 27 runs on the thread cut on the outside surface of the cylindrical tube-carrier 23 and is made with a lug 28 on one or on either side, which takes or take in a vertical slot or slots 29, cut in the lower tubular part 30 of the tension-cap, which is formed with a milled edge 31. A spring 32 is provided to press down upon the tension-cap, and a round pointed pin 33, taking into notches 34 in the top edge of the carrier 23, prevents rotation of the cap, and consequent accidental variation of tension during working. In operation the rotation of the thumb-nut or cap effects the rotation of the tension-nut 27 (through the lugs 28) and so applies or relieves pressure through the lugs 26 on the thimble 25, whose top end presses directly upon the rocker 12, a hardened step or bearing-plate 20 being here used, as in the other design, to take the working. 7

Referring to Figs. 13 and 14, it will be observed that the same principle of construction is used for the mounting of the fulcrum-pin as for the mounting of the fulcrum-cup. In Fig. 13 the rear end of the vibrating lever 9 is shown enlarged and slotted through 38 to allow the screw 35 to bite it upon the stem 36 of the fulcrum-pin 37 and so to secure the same in place. When the pin-point, which may be spherical or conical, is worn, the pin is replaced. Similarly, the clamp-plate 38 is slotted through 39 to allow of the screw 40 clamping the fulcrum-cup, which is dropped into thecavity 41, formed to receive it. The whole clamp-plate is removable from the machine-case in which it is set up by means of the screws 42. The provision of these seatings for the fulcrum-pin and fulcrum-cup allows of the removal of worn parts and their smooth interior, screw-threaded exteriorly and having its walls slotted, a thimble mounted in the said bearing and free to move therein, and provided with lugs extending out through the slots in the walls of the bearing, a screw cap engaging with the exterior threads of the said bearing and arranged to have its end rest upon the projecting lugs of the thimble, a vibrating lever, and a rocker interposed between the said lever and the thimble, substantially as set forth.

2. I11 a shearing-machine of the form described the combination with the rocker 12 of a thimble 15 slidable in a cylindrical neck 14 which is screwed externally to take the tapped throat 17 of the tension-nut whose end 18 presses upon the top 19 of said thimble 15, and means for locking the tensionnut, substantially as described.

3. In a shearing-machine, the combination of a vibrating lever, a rocker through which tension is applied to the lever, a bearing for the rocker, comprising a fixed tubular carrier, having its side walls slotted and provided with an exterior screw-thread, and a thimble mounted in the said carrier and free to move up and down therein, and provided with lugs extending out through the slots in the carrier, a tension-nut mounted on the screw-thread of the carrier and provided with outwardextending lu s, a thun1b-cap covering the end of the tu ular carrier and slotted to engage with the lugs of the tension-nut, a

spring for holding the tension-cap in place,-

and a check for preventing accidental rotation of the thumb-cap when the apparatus is in operation, substantially as set forth.

4. In a shearing-machine, thecombination of a vibrating lever, a tubular carrier 23 set up in the casing of the machine, and formed with the slots 24 and an exterior screw-thread a cylindrical thimble mounted Within the carrier bearing upon the rocker 12, and provided with lugs 26 extending outward'through the slots 24, a tension-nut 27 mounted on the screw-threads of the carrier and formed with lugs 28, the nut being arranged to engage with the lugs 26 of the thimble, and a thumb-cap covering the end of the carrier 23 and slotted so as to engage with the lugs 28 of the tension-nut, a top spring 32 bearing on the thumb-cap, and a locking-pin 33, substantially as set forth,

5. In a shearing-machine, the combination of a vibrating lever, a rocker through which tension is applied to the lever, a thimble resting upon the upper end of the rocker, a can rier or hearing in which the thimble is mounted and is free to move longitudinally, said bearing having an external screwthread, means for preventing rotation of the thimble in its carrier or bearing, and a rotatable tension-nut Working on the outside of the carrier or hearing and engaging with the said thimble, substantially as set forth.

6. In a shearing-machine, the combination of a vibrating lever, a tension-rocker bearing thereupon, means for varying the tension or pressure upon the said rocker, and a fulcrum hearing at the rear end of the lever comprising a separable fulcrum-pin 36 secured to the lever and having a spherical head, a clampingplate mounted in the casing of the machine andprovided with a cavity to receive the spherical head of the fulcrum-pin, and a screw for holding the clamping-plate in engagement with the fulcrum-pin, substantially asset forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed'my name 1n the presence of two W1t nesses.

WILLIAM WRIGHT VIRTUE.

Witnesses:

W. I. SPENSAR, W. I. DAVIS. 

